El Paso, L Street intersection to be closedThe intersection of El Paso and L Street will be closed from Monday, Sept. 22 to Monday, Sept. 29 due to construction by Bowden Specialties. Motorists should consider alternate routes during that time.

RPD helps with national drug take back initiativeThe Russellville Police Department (RPD) will participate in the “National Drug Take it Back Initiative,” which will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 27 at Wal-Mart in Russellville. Statistics show more than 2,500 kids, ages 12-17, abuse prescription drugs each day, and it has become the leading cause of death over any other illegal drug. Seventy percent of people 12 and older claimed to receive the prescription drugs from friends and r...

News Briefs (Sept. 18, 2014)American Legion singing tonight The American Legion country singing at 6 p.m. tonight at the American Legion Hut will feature the Williams Brothers. Everyone is invited to come out and hear Ray Williams, Vickie and George Keith perform. Medical Assistant Club ‘Spirit Night’ tonight The Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus Medical Assisting program’s Medical Assistant Club will host a “Spirit Night” to help raise funds for club activities from...

26 Clarksville dogs travel to Green BayCLARKSVILLE — Twenty-six dogs from the Needy Paws Animal Shelter in Clarksville traveled more than 850 miles on Wednesday to the Bay Area Humane Society in Green Bay, Wis., as part of the Moving Animals Places (MAP) program. The MAP program is an effort to move animals from overpopulated “source” shelters to “receiving” shelters, which are able to accommodate the transported animals. “Animals that are in need of behavior modification training ...

Medical Assistant Club ‘Spirit Night’ Sept. 18OZARK – The Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus Medical Assisting program’s Medical Assistant Club will host a “Spirit Night” to help raise funds for club activities. The event will be held on Thursday, Sept. 18, from 5-8 p.m. at Chick-Fil-A in Russellville, located at 3089 E. Main St. Restaurant patrons will have the opportunity to donate their dine-in or drive-thru receipts. Chick-Fil-A will then donate a portion of each receipt to the clu...

Russellville’s Superior Graphite celebrates 30th anniversaryOn Sept. 12, a celebration was held at the Dow Park recognizing Superior Graphite’s Russellville plant for 30 years of operation. Superior Graphite has been in business since 1917. Headquartered in Chicago, IL, the company is 70% privately owned and 30% employee owned (ESOP). The company has eight manufacturing sites worldwide and sells its products globally. The Russellville Plant produces graphite electrodes and shapes. The graphite electrod...

Arkansas Tech CLL hosts leadership workshopThe Arkansas Tech University Center for Leadership and Learning hosted members of the Russellville High School leadership team for a workshop concerning the challenges of leadership on Monday. The workshop was led by Sheila Jacobs, principal at RHS; Dr. Rebecca Shopfner, associate professor of teaching, learning and leadership at Arkansas Tech; and Dr. Mary Gunter, professor of educational leadership and dean of the Graduate College at Arkansa...

News Briefs (Sept. 17, 2014)FEMA meeting The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will conduct a public meeting to discuss the evaluated exercise of emergency response plans at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the auditorium of the Reeves E. Ritchie Training Center across from Arkansas Nuclear One. For more information, call (479) 968-7171. Reddell family reunion Saturday The family of the late John and Arizona Reddell will host its annual family reunion Saturday at Old Post...

Jami Smith Mullen wins Russellville seat, Dover candidates face runoffEditor's note: All results are unofficial until the election is certified. Angie Billingsley Smith and Shawn Bates will face off next month in a runoff election for the open seat on the Dover Board of Education. Billingsley Smith, with 131, and Bates, with 121, were the top two vote getters from a pool of five candidates for the five-year seat. Jami Smith Mullen won the other contested race in Pope County — the At Large 2 seat on the Russellvi...

Zombie weekendCASA of the 5th Judicial District held its second annual Arkansas Zombie Challenge on Saturday in Hector. This 5k race, filled with obstacles and zombies, is their main fundraiser for the year and helps to reach more children who are in foster care in Pope, Johnson and Franklin counties.

Bond hearingsThe following individuals appeared during felony bond hearings Monday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear Oct. 6 in Circuit Court. • Joe McDaniel, 28, theft of property — $5,000. McDaniel falsified five contracts at the store where he was a manager to obtain two cell phones, two tablets and a Playstation 3, according to a police report. McDaniel a...

Atkins refinances bondATKINS — All present members of the Atkins Board of Education voted to refinance a bond that could save the district up to $140,520. The bond, which was issued in January 2009, currently has an interest rate of 4.6 percent. Financial Adviser Dan Lovelady told the board he thinks he can get a 3.25 percent interest rate. The savings can be used for "anything academic," Lovelady said. "[The refinance] is possible because of a dip in interest rate...

Election Day for school boardsTwo contested races in Pope County and one contested race in Yell County will be decided during Tuesday's annual school board election. Polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Timm Murdoch, Ray Black and Jami Smith Mullen are vying for the At Large 2 seat on the Russellville Board of Education. Earlier this year, incumbent Randy Campbell announced he would not seek re-election. Shawn Bates, Christopher Brown, Joe Race, Angie Billingsley...

News Briefs (Sept. 16, 2014)Election Commission meeting The Pope County Election Commission will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Election Headquarters. Ray of Hope Food Pantry grand opening The Ray of Hope Food Pantry invites everyone to the grand opening of its new location at 202 S. Boston Ave. at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. The pantry is a faith-based organization that seeks to meet the immediate needs of individuals and families who are in difficult economic situations with non...

Church group makes blankets for cancer patientsMary Evans, Emma Jernigan and Tiffany Brandon love sharing their talents to help others. Recently, they donated dozens of beautifully crafted fleece tie-blankets to Saint Mary’s Cancer Center to benefit cancer patients undergoing radiation and chemotherapy treatment. Mary, daughter of James and Donna Evans, loves making the fleece blankets. “It makes me feel good to be able to help others,” she said. Emma Jernigan, daughter of Gary and Sue Ann...

Indoor firing range to open in AtkinsATKINS — The Atkins City Council listened to Dennis Hurley, who explained his idea to open a retail gun store and indoor firing range on Southwest First Street. “Safety is the idea behind this,” Hurley told aldermen during last week’s monthly meeting, adding he also planned to teach a concealed weapons permit course. “Safety will be the utmost concern.” Alderman Sean Rehm said noise complaints from other businesses was his only concern. Hurley...

Eaton addresses ROTC cadets at ATUMayor Bill Eaton addressed Army ROTC cadets during their contracting ceremony Thursday at Arkansas Tech University. Shakeena Johnson, Forrest Been, Kristen Harris, Corey Runion, John Fisk and Tommy Cohen were recognized for their commitment to the program. If the cadets complete the program, they will be commissioned to the Army National Guard or Army Reserve, Military Instructor Capt. Michael Bennett said. “I believe this group of kids will m...